Your front porch is the first thing people see when they arrive at your home or business. A well styled porch communicates care, personality and pride in your space. The good news is that you don't need a huge budget or a design degree to make it look incredible. You just need the right plants, the right combinations, and a little seasonal thinking.
At HC Gardens in Strathroy we offer fully designed and installed front porch packages for homeowners and businesses across Strathroy and London, Ontario. Here's how we think about porch design and some tips you can use yourself this season.
Start With Your Space
Before you pick a single plant, take a good look at your porch. Ask yourself these questions:
How much sun does it get? A south or west facing porch that gets 6 or more hours of direct sun will support a completely different plant palette than a shaded north facing entrance.
How much space do you have? A wide open porch can handle large statement planters on either side of the door plus window boxes and hanging baskets. A smaller stoop might look best with one bold focal planter and a couple of complementary pieces.
What's the style of your home? A farmhouse style home calls for a different look than a modern build. Think about whether you want something lush and cottage inspired, clean and structured, or bold and colourful.
Build Around a Thriller, Filler and Spiller
This is the classic formula for container planting and it works every single time. For each planter you want:
A thriller — a tall dramatic plant that draws the eye upward. Think ornamental grasses, tall salvias or a bold canna lily for summer.
A filler — a mounding plant that fills out the middle of the container. Petunias, begonias and impatiens all work beautifully depending on your light conditions.
A spiller — a trailing plant that cascades over the edge of the planter and softens the whole look. Sweet potato vine, bacopa and trailing verbena are all fantastic choices.
When you combine all three in one container the result looks intentional, lush and professionally designed every time.
Think in Colour Combinations
The most visually striking porches usually work with two or three colours rather than every colour at once. Some combinations that look stunning in Strathroy's summer light:
Deep purple and bright yellow for a bold, high contrast look that photographs beautifully.
Soft pink, white and green for a classic, elegant feel that works with almost any home exterior.
Coral, orange and burgundy for a warm, rich summer palette that transitions beautifully into fall.
Whatever colours you choose, repeat them across all your planters and containers so the whole porch feels cohesive rather than random.
Transition Into Fall Without Starting From Scratch
One of the smartest things you can do is plan your summer porch with fall in mind. As your summer annuals start to fade in late August and September, you can swap them out for mums, ornamental kale, pumpkins, corn stalks and ornamental gourds without changing your planter structure at all.
At HC Gardens our fall porch packages start at $49.99 for a Classic package and $89.99 for a Deluxe package. We deliver and install everything so all you have to do is enjoy it.
Let Us Do It For You
If the idea of sourcing, combining and planting everything yourself feels like a lot, that's exactly what our Front Porch Design service is for. We handle everything from the plant selection and styling to the delivery and installation. You tell us your colour preferences and we take care of the rest.
Our summer porch packages start at $69.99 for the Classic and $145.99 for the Deluxe, with fully custom builds also available. We serve homeowners and businesses across Strathroy and London, Ontario.
To book your front porch package or ask about a custom design, visit us at 4836 Egremont Dr, Strathroy, ON starting May 1st 2026, or get in touch through hcgardens.ca. Join us at our Spring Launch Event on May 23rd to see a live styled porch display and meet the team!